Conveyor



Oct. 6, 1959 A. CONTRERAS CONVEYOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 195'? Oct. 6, 1959 A. CONTRERAS 2,907,449'

v CONVEYOR Filed July 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O ce coNvEYoR l Agripin` Contreras, Chicago, Ill. Application July 29, 1957, Serial No. 674,958 1o claims. (ci. 19a-19s) 'Ihis invention relates to conveyors and more particularly to portable conveyor systems.

It `is a primary object of the present invention to provide a conveyor `system having all the portions thereof adapted for easy assembly and disassembly into small units in such a manner that the various parts for even a large conveyor may be packed into comparatively small containers for ready portability.

It is another object of the presentinvention to provide a conveyor system Which is convertible easily and quickly from one size or type of conveyor to another.

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide a conveyor driven by special sprockets adapted to drive a chain which is also adapted to carry the body portion of the conveyor system.

t Another object of the invention is to provide a ight type conveyor having the body surface portion releasably secured to consecutive ights for rapid replacement of the body "portions in case of damage orthe like.

Other objects and advantages will' `become apparent from the following descriptions and associated drawings wherein:

Figurel is a top plan view of a conveyor system incorporating the elements of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the structure shown in Figure 1; i l

`Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the conveyor chain; t

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of one of the detachable conveyor ights;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional View taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of analternate embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of still another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures l and 2, it is seen that the assembled conveyor comprises a `frame indicated generally at 10 which, in the preferred embodiment, comprises spaced pedestal pillow block stands `12 which preferably are bolted to the floor by means of stud bolts 14. Alternately, the frame may comprise a complete unit wherein the stands 12 are interconnected by suitable means such as angle iron frame members in which case the frame need not be v secured to the oor.

Journaled in the spaced stands for rotation therein are a drive shaft 16 and a drive shaft 18 (Figure 2). The shaft 16 may be driven in any conventional manner, such as indicated generally at 19 (Figure l), and in this instance comprises a pulley 20` which is keyed to the shaft 16 and is connected by a belt 21 to a source of power such as an electric motor (not shown). Keyed asat 22 to the respective shafts 16 and 18 are spaced chain gear sprockets indicated generally at 23 inV Figure 2. Each of the sprockets 23 comprises spaced outwardly projecting teeth 24, each pair of adjacent teeth forming spaced, transverse, generally rectilinear recesses 2,907,449 Patented Oct. 6, 1959 end thereof and a clevis arrangement 36 at the opposite f end thereof. p

. ticulai link is receivable in the clevis portion of another" In assembly the tongue 34 of one par link and the two links are pivotally connected by releasable pin or bolt means 38. The tongue and clevis portion of each link are provided with a depending generally arcuate portion 39 receivable in the opening 28 of the sprocket to provide thereby driving means between the sprocket and the chain. Each link also comprises a depending block or boss `on the radially inner portion of the chain and receivable in the spaced recesses 26 of the sprocket. If small loads are intended to be carried by the conveyor in a particular application, the openings 26 and depending blocks 40 may be omitted as illustrated in Figure 6. However, whereheavy loads are intended to be carried by the conveyor and consequent large forces are transmitted between the chain and sprocket, the depending blocks 4@ are utilized tor transmit the greater portion of the load. The sides 44 lar, sleeve portions 48 the outer walls of which deline an opening 50 adapted to be received over a mounting block 42 of the conveyor chain and locked thereon by any desired means such as by a set screw 52. Connecting the sleeves 48 are a pair of flight rods 54 adapted to be received in openings 56 formed in the respective sleeves 43. Each flight rod is provided at each end with a peripheralgroove 58 as best seen in Figure 5 whereby the rod may be retained in the sleeve by means of a locking Ascrew 60 yet still permitted to be rotated when desired as willvbe explained hereinafter. The flight rods are provided with a plurality of spaced body mounting pins 62 which may be straight or hook formed as desired. The body mounting pins of one of the'` thereof formed into an eye adapted to be received over` one of the body mounting pins 62.

From the above description it is seen that the conveyor is readily convertible as to length and also, by using longer or shorter flights and leaving all other portions of the conveyor unchanged, is readily convertible as to` width. Furthermore, if any portion of a conveyor body is damaged, the damaged portion is readily replaced by Y ,i 2,907,449 p the simple expedient of loosening the locking screw 60, y

that in the locked position the pins of related flight rods 54,V are pointing in a rdirection toward each other. However, the conveyor bodyj means are readily releasable when the flight rods are rotated through`V least 90.

Figure 6 illustrates the manner in which the radially outer blocks of a particular chain may be utilized to drive an associated chain in the opposite direction so that two conveyors may be moved'toward each other as' might be desirable where two" substances are to` be mixed and dropped for example, onto a transverse conveyor. In this instance, the llight rods would be mounted directly into the mounting blocks 42 and the conveyor body means secured thereto in a manner similar to that described in the first-mentioned embodiment.

In certain instances it may be desirable to operate a gear and chain combination with the gear disposed in a horizontal rather than in a vertical plane. In a case such as this retainer plates 66 may beutilized in order to prevent the chain 30' from sliding out of the transverse grooves 26 and 28. f

I claim:

l. In a chain gear conveyor, the combination of: a frame, a power drive shaft journaled in the frame, spaced sprockets mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith, a driven shaft journaled in the frame and in parallel alignment `with said drive shaft, other spaced sprockets mounted on said driven shaft and aligned with an angle of at Vvsaid first mentioned sprockets, chain means connecting :respective allgned sprockets, said chain comprising a` plurality of links, releasable pin means pivotally interconnecting sequential links, mounting means on each of said links on the side thereof radially away from the shafts,-

each of said mounting means being aligned with a corresponding mounting means on the sprocket spaced therefrom, conveyor flights adapted to be releasably secured to related mounting means, each yof said flights comprising a plurality of parallel rods rotatable about their longitudinal axes, means for locking said rods in a selected (position, a plurality of pins carried by said rods and ex-v tending radially thereof, and conveyor body means releasably securable to the pins of each sequential pair of flights, said body means being releasable when said rods are in one rotative position and held securely in place Iwhen said rods are in a second rotative position.

`2. Conveyor means comprising a frame, spaced shafts journaled in said frame, spaced sprockets on one of said shafts, spaced sprockets on the other of said shafts in alignment with respective sprockets of said one shaft, chain means connecting the aligned sprockets, conveyor body support means inter-connecting said chains at spaced intervals, each of said means comprising rod support means, a pair of spaced substantially parallel rods ro tatably carried in each of said rod support means, a plurality of pinmeans projecting from'said rods radially thereof, conveyor body means comprising wires interconnecting the pin Vmeans of a rod of one conveyor body support means to the pin means of a rod of another of said conveyor support means, said body means being releasable for replacement thereof upon rotation of one of said rods in a direction to move the pin means thereof toward the other rod of said pair.

3. A conveying system comprising a pair of flight conveyors each of said conveyors comprising parallelv driving and driven shafts, spaced sprockets keyed on each of said shafts, endless chains connecting respective sprockets, each of said sprockets having spaced transverse arcuate recessesy around the periphery thereof and rectilinear transverse recesses between each sequential pair of arcuate recesses, said chains comprising individual links,

means for pivotally connecting adjacent links, arcuate portions on said links at each connection point, said arcu- -ate portions being drivingly. receivable in saidarcuate recesses as said sprockets rotate, opposed bosses on each of said links at the radially inner and radially outer surfaces thereof, the radially inner bosses being drivingly receivable in said rectilinear recesses of the sprockets, the radially outer bosses of a sprocket -of one of said conf veyors being adapted to be received between the radially outer bosses of a sprocket of the other conveyor for driving the latter when motion is imparted to the sprocketsV of said one conveyor. 4. A conveying system comprising ya pair of flight conveyors each comprising parallel driving and driven shafts,

spaced'sprockets keyed on each of said shafts, endless chains connecting respective sprockets, said chains comprising individual links, means for pivotally connecting adjacent links, bosses on each of said links at the radially outer surfaces thereof, the bosses of a sprocket of one conveyor being adapted to be received between the bosses of a sprocket of the second conveyork for driving the latter when motion is imparted to the sprockets of said one conveyor. i

5. A ilight conveyor comprising: spaced endless chains, each of said chains formed of detachable links; pin means releasably and pivotably joining sequential links; a plurality of rods interconnecting said chains at spaced intervals therealong, said rods being readily releasable from said chains; a plurality of pin means projecting from each of said rods; and conveyor surface means comprising wires interconnecting sequential rods, said surface means having openings along the edges thereof adjacent respective rods; said rods being rotatable to a first position wheresaid pins are receivable through related openings, said rods being rotatable to a second position for preventing release of said surface means.

. 6. A flight conveyor comprising spaced-endless chains; a plurality of rotatable rods interconnecting said chains at spaced intervals therealong; a plurality of pin means projecting from each of said rods, the pin means of sequen-Y tial pairs of rods being movable toward each other when said rods are rotated to a first position and movable away from each .other when said rods are rotated vto a second position; and conveyor body means comprising wiresreceivable over said pins when said rods are in said first position, said wires being locked in place when said rods fare 8. A portable conveyor comprising: spaced endless" chains; a plurality of ilight means spaced from each other longitudinally of said chains; means forreleasably mounting said flight means on said chains; each of said ilight means comprising a pair of rods having opposite ends rotatably and releasably received in respective mounting means; substantially co-planar pin means carred by said rods and projecting substantially radially therefrom; and a plurality of readily releasable conveyor surface means comprising wires carried by the pins of therods of sequential ilights.

9. A portable conveyor comprising: spaced endless chains; a plurality of flight means spaced from each other longitudinally of said chains; means 4 for releasably mounting said flight means on said chains; each of'said flight means comprising a pair of rods having opposite ends rotatably and releasably received in respective mounting means; substantially tto-planar pin means car.-

' ried by saidrodsand projecting substantially radially therefrom; and a'pluralityV of readily releasable conveyor surface means comprising wires carried by the pins ofthe rods of sequential ilights, each of said surface means beings, said rods being rotatable to a second position for ing releasable by rotation of one rod of a pair in a preventing release of said surface means.

direction to move the pins thereof away from the other rod of said pair. References Cited inthe file of this patent 1 0. A ight conveyor .comprisingi spaced endless 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS chains; a plurality of rods interconnecting said chains at Y spaced intervals therealong, a plurality of pin means pro- 1,45 6,715 Reck May 29, 1923 jecting from each of said rods; and conveyor surface 1,555,867 Marshall Oct. 6, 1925 means comprising wires having openings adjacent respec- 1,758,397 Harbor May 13, 1930 tive rods; said rods being rotatable to a iirst position 10 2,303,587 Snyder Dec. l, 1-942 wherein said pins are receivable through related open- 

